


Fool's gold

by orphan_account



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Angst, M/M, Pining, Pining Harry, Sad Ending, So much angst, Unhappy Ending, Unrequited Love, Unresolved Sexual Tension, but it's kinda cute along the way, excessive amounts of angst and pining, unresolved anything and everything
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-10
Updated: 2016-09-14
Packaged: 2018-08-14 04:13:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7998157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry let Louis use him from the day they first met but he isn’t done yet, falling for Lou’s fool’s gold.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter I

**Author's Note:**

> This is a complete work of fiction and nothing -not any events, thoughts of characters or relationships- is real. Fool’s Gold just happens to be a lovely song that inspires me to no end.  
> I will update this every night (for me) and the whole story is already finished and up on my tumblr: http://beat-of-the-music.tumblr.com/post/150193208977/fools-gold  
> Contains: swearing, excessive amounts of pining and angst (I don’t think I actually know how to write fluff or happy emotions), feelings one-sided/not-reciprocated and ending not happy (take note of this but it’s not any major character deaths/self-harm or anything too major though). Takes place over the years, nothing specific except for a couple scenes, and ends this year (2016).

It was Harry who was said to be the womanizer, the flirt. The heartbreaker.

* * *

It was One Direction’s fifth interview of the day promoting their newest album being released in three weeks but the boys’ charisma and eagerness made it seem as though it was their first. They joked and poked each other in good fun, laughed as though none of them were exhausted and Harry heartedly tried to concentrate on things that weren’t Louis. He failed spectacularly.

“I noticed most of you have quite different hair from each other and your hair styles have changed a bit from when you first started.  So whose hair in the band do you like the most?” asked the brunette interviewer. She wasn’t the most fun or engaging interviewer they’ve had but better than the ones who asked even more awkward questions.

Niall was quick to jump in with “Zayn! Look at his hair, totally worth the hour he spent this morning in front of the mirror!” as Zayn tried to bat Niall’s hands from messing up his hair.

“Oh yeah,” Liam agreed. “Definitely Zayn or Harry. Nice curls Harry’s got.”

Like Niall, Louis grabbed at Harry’s hair. Unlike Zayn, Harry relished the feeling. “Ya, Harry’s got quite the gorgeous hair, ain’t he?”

For the next couple questions, Louis continued to fondle and mess up Harry’s hair and poke his dimple from Harry’s right and Harry proceeded to pretend it was something it wasn’t. Harry found it quite ironic that he, the designated womanizer of the band it seemed, was slightly fantasizing (innocent things like cuddling and dates, for fuck’s sake, it wouldn’t do to get a boner at an interview) about another band member of his.

“So, Harry. The internet is adamant about needing to know what catches your eyes. So what do you look for in a girl, Harry?” The interviewer added a little eyebrow wiggle at the end.

“Um, I haven’t got a list of criteria or anything,” though Harry supposed he should create one just to answer that common question, “but I do like my partner to have a good sense of humour.”

Louis had a stellar sense of humour. Everyone in the band agreed that Louis was the funniest of them all- Zayn did say that Louis had a “genius comedic mind” and all. Harry doubted he will meet many people that could beat Louis’ humour or his incredible timing.

“Also, I like people who are vibrant and could light up rooms, y’know?”

Louis’ personality could fill up entire rooms, empty swimming pools, buildings, heck even the stages and arenas when they performed. He was lively and warm. Even were he not funny, only his laughter could make others laugh as catching as it was.

“This isn’t a preference, quite the opposite really, but I don’t like it when people spit on the sidewalk. Just in general, nobody spit on the road in public, please, thanks.”

Louis would never.


	2. Chapter II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis called everyone “love.” All the time, nothing special. Just a form of strictly-platonic, slightly-posh endearment that he threw into the conversation without a second thought.
> 
> Yet it wrenched Harry’s heart every time he heard it.

 

It was the first show of their tour and all everyone in a mile wide radius could feel was excitement. The boys were going on stage in 15 minutes and the screams of the fans just a few metres, curtains and a couple security guards away was deafening. This would become an unforgettable night in many people’s lives.

“AaaaaaAAhaaah,” Zayn hit his high note perfectly and ended their little warm-up singing.

As the group broke apart into smaller groups, Harry was paying attention to Niall expressing his love for the guitar he was holding but his attention kept drifting to Louis.

“You better watch out, Payno, I’ll come for you,” Louis warned Liam with a little eyebrow wiggle and squinted eyes, trying to be threatening.

Liam only scoffed and said, “Pfft, please. It’ll be I who gets your perfect hair wet first,” but pulled Louis into a one-armed hug anyway.

Of course, Louis, the bastard, noticed Harry’s wondering eyes. He smirked and sauntered over to them leaving Liam and Zayn leaning towards and whispering to each other.

“Have a good night down there, Nialler. Don’t trip over trying to Irish dance or anything, don’t want to break a bone,” Louis teased as he clapped Niall on the back and turned his attention to Harry. “And you, love,” fuck the adorable way he says love, “don’t charm the ladies too much with your curls and dimples. Don’t want half the audience to faint now, do you?” Louis laughed to show he was only poking fun.

“You’re only jealous that your hair can’t make half the audience swoon, Tommo,” Harry managed to articulate even as he doubted the truthfulness in his own jab.

That only made Louis’ smirk wider. “Well, my smirk’s got you charmed, though, ain’t it?” He suddenly leaned in and pressed a chaste teasing kiss to Harry’s dimple and turned away, dragging Niall with him.

Harry only blinked after Louis as he walked away from the unordinary yet momentous encounter. Louis only once looked back to wink.


	3. Chapter III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nobody would ever hear Louis say Never Have I Ever/Truth or Dare hadn’t been good to him.  

Every tour, there was one designated night where the boys, just the five of them, forgot the outside world, ordered in enough Chinese takeout and pizza to feed armies, got drunk, confessed their darkest secrets and just blocked out their usual life and the world.

That night, the confessing would be done over a game of Never Have I Ever. Louis couldn’t repel his terrible flashbacks from high school when he heard the news. At least nobody would be daring anyone to give someone a blowjob in Never Have I Ever, unlike the Truth or Dares at his high school parties. Small mercies.

It was the third or fourth round when things started to get really loud, everyone had gone at least three times and most of them had drunk quite an amount of alcohol, so nothing was quite civil anymore.

“Never Have I Ever been handcuffed,” Zayn declared when it was his turn.

“Does it matter if it was a police officer or my girlfriend?” There was a moment of quiet as the meaning behind Liam’s words sunk in and Niall screamed “KINKY!” and burst into laughter. There was general uproar and drunken tears of laughter as the boys hit the table and slapped Liam on the back.

Once they’ve all calmed down, or well as much as five intoxicated boys could calm down, Niall prompted, “Never Have I Ever had a sexy dream nor fantasized about somebody in the band.”

“Oooh,” Liam exclaimed but didn’t make a move for his glass. “I think I might date any of you if I were a girl but I’ve never, like, fantasized about another member in 1D.” That’s when he noticed that the other three, Louis included, had taken a drink.

“Wait, whooo?!” Niall looked like a snowy owl with his pale skin, blond hair and wide eyes in his excitement.

“Nope, not telling.” Zayn look reluctant and almost shy about the idea.

“There is no story, don’t look at me,” Louis shook his head. As if he was going to spill all his secret dirty dreams. Hah, they would need to get a lot more alcohol in him for that.

“Well,” Harry giggled. He was the most tipsy of them all but that was expected considering he’d drank for nearly all of the things said so far. “Mine is Louis! Look at his pretty hair and cheekbones.” Harry’s hooded eyes and body language did nothing to hide his lust as he leaned in from his spot on Louis’ right and petted Louis’ cheek and hair. “Aw, so pretty, Lou-ey.”

Lately the confirmations of the Harry’s affections have been hitting Louis with bricks but they did nothing to deter his ego. Rather, they just inflated them more than a bit.

Louis had been wondering since the very first year but nobody assumes that one of the most eligible bachelors of UK fancied you without him saying so. Lately, Harry had almost been saying so, he just needed a little coaxing. Louis intended to see through with that.

Now, however, was not the time. So Louis tried to gently pry Harry’s stubborn hands from his hair and tried to push Harry back into his side of the couch from which he had slightly risen and leaned over Louis. Suddenly, Harry’s other hand gave out from under his drunken weight and he fell forward as Louis still held Harry’s hand after untangling it from his hair.

It took a moment, that was awkward to everybody but Harry and Niall (the second most drunk of them all and was distracted by something else even though this was his NHIE), for Harry and Louis to untangle themselves after Harry ended up on Louis’ chest and practically his lap and for Louis to put some distance between Harry and himself.

There was only a slight pause afterwards before Liam says his own Never Have I Ever. The next day, Louis couldn’t remember what it was or if he had taken a drink for it or not. He had been too busy eyeing Harry, smirking and revelling in his new pretty-much-confirmed revelation. Oh, the things that could come out of that.

However, if Louis remembered a certain portion of the night before crystal clear while he declined Harry’s awkward inquiry about it the next day, well, nobody needed to know.


	4. Chapter IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis’ love wasn’t real (it didn’t even exist the way Harry would’ve liked it to) but that wasn’t the way it felt.

Another day, another song to write. The band had been working on their next album for a couple weeks now in the middle of their tour, writing whenever they can. They had collectively written about 7 songs that could possibly go on the album but there were more to be written. However, apparently they needed certain types of songs to go on the album, which resulted in the topics being written, the band being split into two groups and picking a topic out of a hat. The first group got “Something sweet but a little heartbreaking, a mix of Little Things and Half A Heart” while the other got “Pining and Angst. One half of the relationship doesn’t care about the other as much.”

That is how Harry ended up sitting opposite Louis, dreading the next two hours because they are expected to work together on a song involving someone being angsty and pining after someone else who doesn’t care about them half as much. Wow, why does that seem so familiar to Harry? He is practically expected to write a song regarding the heartache Louis daily causes Harry with Louis. Not that Louis knew any of that, which would explain why he looked rather excited.

“So, how are we doing this? Any ideas? I’m sure you aren’t going to be full of experience in this aspect, are you? Am I going to have to do all the work?” Harry wanted to correct him for a second but there was a certain gleam in Louis’ eyes and the tilt of his mouth made Harry wonder if he already knew. Well, Harry was wrong about Louis not knowing and he was definitely in some deep shit.  

“I mean, we’re assuming these people are already in a relationship and that the girl doesn’t care about the guy much while he pines after her,” Harry shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. “But then again, if they’re in a relationship, why is their so much pining? He already is dating her, though I get the angst.” Harry tried to steer the backstory as far away from his and Louis’ friendship as possible.

“Maybe he knows she’s thinking of breaking up with him but he doesn’t want to?” Louis tapped his pen against his lips, making Harry’s eyes drift there. Did he have some sort of vendetta against Harry or what? “Or the girl could be in the relationship for some other reason. Like maybe she’s using him? Ya, I like that. The guy knows she’s using him and wants her to like him but would pine after her and like her even if she just used him. What do you think?” Louis raised an eyebrow.

“Sure, why not.” That guy sounded awfully like Harry. He would do anything, Louis would only have to ask and Harry didn’t even regret it. So, change of plans since apparently the song would definitely be similar to how Harry feels about Louis. “I’m thinking that he doesn’t really mind that he’s being used? No regrets, all in?” Apparently, the song would be exactly about how Harry feels about Louis. Brilliant.

“Alright, so how about something like this.” Louis leaned down to write a sentence on the notebook, his hair falling slightly into his eyes and he somehow managed to hold his pen in an adorable manner. This man would definitely be the death of Harry. His heart ached and his lungs constricted at even such a mundane act.

 

> _I let you use me from the day we first met_
> 
> _But I don’t regret falling for you_

“Mhmm, yeah. You know I was thinking about this the other day and wanted to include in a song and this would be perfect,” inspiration had hit Harry suddenly now that he was less of a fumbling, nervous mess and had accepted his fate. “You know, how there’s the fool’s gold, which is like not real but seems like it is. Ya, we could totally do something like that.” Harry leant down to add onto what Louis had written.

 

> _I don’t regret falling for your fool’s gold_

After that, Harry wrote some more lyrics for his pining, angsty song to Louis as they sat two feet away from each other for the next two hours.

“ _You’re not a constant star, just a moving part_. Haha, don’t you always tell me that I’m like a shooting star, Harry? Cuz I’m apparently always moving and chasing something newer and stuff?” Louis wiggled his eyebrows, had a smug and knowing look on his face and gave Harry’s shoulder a little shove with his own.

“Yup.” So, not only did Louis know, he was willing to indirectly tease Harry about it and let him know that he knew.

Well, of course he knew. Harry had suspected Louis knew. Hell, everybody and their mothers knew; or at least thought they knew. Unfortunately, unlike how everyone imagined them to have a romantic, sexy relationship, they were stuck in a perpetual slightly awkward but comforting friendship where Harry tirelessly pined after Louis.

Louis most definitely knew, enjoyed it and was waiting for Harry to confess.

Harry should have. He really, really should have just told him, it wouldn’t really have made much of a difference, but while Louis knew about Harry’s feelings for him, Harry knew Louis’ feelings, or lack thereof. Louis made it seem as though it’s all for Harry, the flirty banter and suggestive actions but that was the same way he was with everyone else in the band and all the girls outside it. So Harry just shook his head and thought up the next couple of lyrics.

 

> _Yeah, I know your love’s not real_
> 
> _but that’s not the way it feels_


	5. Chapter V

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So why was it Louis that never failed to break Harry’s heart?

Harry just can’t get over him. Why can’t he get over Louis? The man has had various girlfriends and has a damn child, for fuck’s sake! (Freddie’s so damn cute. How is a baby so tiny and so wrinkly so cute?) There is absolutely no chance that Louis will ever look twice at Harry.

Harry knows all of this. And yet.

They haven’t seen each other in quite the couple months, each busy with their own things. Harry acting, Louis judging and they feel so far away from each other. Sure, Harry misses the other boys, they did practically live and breathe the same air for the last 5 years, but it’s different with Louis. It feels like Louis has taken Harry’s heart away to wherever he is, doing whatever he is doing.

Louis teases, he knows about Harry’s feelings and sometimes uses it, the fucking Slytherin he is. Harry knows nothing will ever come out of Louis’ not-accidental touches nor his sly flirting, they’re just crumbles to see how far Harry will follow the trail, cruel as Louis is.

Harry should let it go. He doesn’t know how.

Harry let Louis use him from the day that they first but he isn’t done yet, falling for Lou’s fool’s gold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed that! I definitely had fun writing it. Also, I'm trying to write slightly longer chapters so hopefully I'll have worked that out before I post my next work! Have a good day/night! :)


End file.
